1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to straddle type vehicles in general and, in particular, to a straddle type vehicle having a movable seat and a vehicle body cover configured so as to permit access to an air box disposed at least partially within the vehicle body cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some straddle type vehicles (e.g., motor scooters) contain an engine having a combustion chamber in which a mixture of fuel and air is compressed and burned in order to produce mechanical work to operate the vehicle. An air induction system supplies air to the combustion chamber(s) of the engine. One component of the air induction system is commonly an air cleaner. The air cleaner receives incoming air, which passes through a filter in order to remove impurities and directs the filtered air to the engine where the air is mixed with fuel. It is desirable to provide filtered air to the engine so that impurities are removed before combustion so as to achieve a more efficient combustion process and to extend the operational life of the vehicle's engine.
Prior straddle type vehicles contain an air cleaner. The air cleaner typically is separated into two chambers and contains an air filter. A first chamber receives ambient, unfiltered air containing certain impurities (e.g., dirt, dust, etc.). The ambient air is directed through an air filter to a second chamber. The second chamber receives the clean, filtered air and directs the air to the engine.
A problem associated with prior air cleaners is that they are often difficult to access. Typically, the body cover of the straddle type vehicle covers the air cleaner so that it cannot be accessed without removing the vehicle body cover or a portion thereof (e.g., a side panel). In addition, components of the air cleaner, such as the air filter, are also often difficult to access. Typically, an upper portion of the air cleaner must at least partially be removed in order to remove the air filter so that it may be cleaned or replaced. Removing the upper portion of the air cleaner can be difficult and time consuming because this component is relatively large and difficult to access in many prior vehicle. In addition, the upper portion of the air cleaner can be damaged when it is removed.